Plaisterer's
Contract
with the
State of Maryland
1792
Particulars plaistering work
to be done in
Reoairing the Stadt House
To lath and plaister
2 rocks (?), float, and set
fair, all the concave part of
the dome, as is reproduced in
the drawing, from the top
of the (?) cornice, to the
apex, including the [symbol]
Ante; about 1200 yards, making no
deduction for the Center
Ornament.
Center Ornament
at Apex
To run a circular octagal
frame, 10 inches, diameter out to
out, 3 inches wide, including
a locus (?) on each side, a large
one [small drawing here]
2 inches projection in the center
To cast and fix
16 plaister, taper raffled (?)
leaves, turned up at their points
one inch, and under cut, and
pierced, about 4 inches
long each.
To run a circular
porus (?) frame,
needed, at the extremity of
the raffled leaves, [drawing] two inches
wide and two inches projection
in the center, about 36 inches
diameter out, to out.
To cast and fix
16 plaister ropes (?) of --water
leaves each; under cut , pierced,
and their points turned up, with
a small flower in the center,
the roses will be 4/2 (?) inches
diameter, to be fixed touching
the rud torus (?) pannel,
outer edge, and in the ray
of the center of each raffle
leaf. [drawing]
To run a circular
red torus from ---- (?)
the extremity of the rud 3 1/2
inches wide [drawing]
projecting two inches in
the center, with a ribband (?)
wrought spirally over the
ruds, leaving a soace of
5 inches, between each fold
of the robband; this
fram will be 52 inches [page
is cut off here]
To point in between all the
ornaments, 3 coats in distern per colours,
either with verditer (?),
dutch pink, Rose pink or Virginia, as
shall be directed.
Eight Antae.
To be relieved by run-
ing, a rud moulding, 2 inches
wide, and one inch
projection, diamondwise
(?) up each, forming thereon five diamond
pannels. The Anta
is 20 feet long, to ornament at apex; and
24 inches wide at Bottom,
[drawing]
5 inches wide at top; the
Antae to be painted (?) in between the
Pannels.
Caryatic Cornice
To run a cornice by the drawing,
breaking it over the [word cut off]
caryatic pilaster, this
cornice is 24" altitude and 11" projection;
It is very simple exclusive
of the cartouches, one of which
is to be placed in the center,
and one on eact return of
the pilaster, and 4 in each
flank; the cartouches will be
of cast plaster, 10 inches
high; and 7 inches wide,
truf (?) formed at foot
and head, a raffled leaf in their face. [drawing of profile of cartouch]
To put two cast plaster rows, 5 inches diameter each,
in the --- (?) of the corona,
between were two cartouches, and
two oblong pieces of raffled
ornament, 9 inches by 5 inches,
about 5/8 of an inch projection
in the facia, between the cartouches,
directly uder the roses
To pink in the (?)
of the corona and the
facia for the cartouches, between
the roses and the oblong ornaments.
Frieze. to
fix a cast plaster frieze,
as described in the drawing,
about 20 inches full, butting against
the pilasters, and resting
on the moulding which terminates at
the cap of the pilaster,
which moulding is to be run, and will be
6 inches high, 3 inches
projection; (frieze finished in)
--- --- (?) the
upper edge of the
caryatic frieze, down to the
cap of the cornices in are [page ends]
To lath and plaister two
coats flat and set fair, as it is depicted in the
diagram, including the pilasters,
about 200 yards after the deduction of the
16 windows.
Pilasters
To fix a cast plaster fleeted
(?) frieze in their caps, returning the frieze
on their proflile, this
will measure about 40 feet vaper (?)
To arm (?) a week
moulding under the frieze,
about 8 feet vaper (?)
To fix 8 cast plaister
heads, under the
next moulding; each of three
heads will measure ontheir
superfice lateing (?) the
dimensions of their ornaments, about 2ft'6"
their projections about
4 inches, (the pilasters pinked in)
To work by hand
eight fir---(?) of laurel leaves
with berries, each about 8 feet
long, as depicted in the design.
To runa small pannel
at the foot, and
a cove, ---(?) quarter round
returned; and 3 drop husks(?) with
beads, as is shown in the
drawing, to each pilaster.
Elliptical Windows.
To Fix, with cast plaister husks(?) and beads,
the husks pierced, eight
festoons over the windows; each festoon,
exclusive of the floroon,
about 22 feet long: To fix sight cast
plaister floroons, about
24 inches by 16 inches, and 2 inches project-
-ion. To fix 16 cast
plaister roses, 10 inches diameter, of 6 Raffled
leaves, a small flower pierced
and under cut, this work is
depicted in the design,
(and pinked in)
Architraves
[Drawing] To run a fillet,
quater round, and each bead, about
6 inches long on its outer
edge, round each window;
also to run a flat torus,
1 1/4 inches diameter about 12ft 6
inches long on its outer
edge, round each window; To fix 12
cart (?) pliaster roses,
as is depicted in the design, in the frieze
4 1/2 inches diameter of
6 [unreadable], small flowers pierced and under cut
To pink in the fireze between
the rose.
Frieze under Elliptic
windows
To fix a cast plaister frieze
18 inches wide
all around the dome, it must
be modelled to a drawing, not
directly like the design,
but of a shorter device, which will
consist of floroons (?,
(?) and mouldings; it will be
78 feet long, and painted
in between the ornaments.
Eight circular windows
[Drawing] To run a
plain architrave round each, it is to be 10 inches
wide with 2 faces to project
3 inches; the circular part to
each window is about 99
inches long on its outer edge; the
straight part to each window
13 feet long; two squares and
one key block to each window;
the stood (?) 5 inches high
and they project 3 1/2 inches.
To fix or cast plaister
heads on the key
blocks, each of these heads
will measure about 14 inches by 10 inches
on their superfice.
To fix or cast plaister
tru(?) (?)owls over
the heads. See the design
for the work to these 8 windows.
Arc
To lath and plaister 2 coats
flat and set fair,
the 8 planks from the top of
the frieze to the upper torus.
Cornice
[Drawing] To run a
modellian and dental
cornnices, 15 inches altitude
and 13 inches
projection, all round the
Dome; with an
incrichment in the cymation
(?) and soolo (?); a
cast plaister ornament,
raffled in the planese of the
corona, between every modellions,
it will be about 80
feet long. The modellions
ornaments in their soffets in
face, there will be about
100 modellions in the cornices,
It must be prished (?) in
between the ornaments.
To fix a cast plaister
frieze, all round the dome under
the cornice; It must be modelled
to a drawing, and not diretcly like
the design, It will be composed
of customary Raffled foliage;
it will be 8 feet long,
12 inches high; pinks in.
Architrave
To run a small architrave
comprised
of three members all round the
dome under the Frieze, 80
feet long, it will girth
(?) 3 1/2 inches, quite plain.
Beads. To
run 8 double quick beads, one on each
angle, from the under edge of
the architrave, to the upper edge of
upper torus, about 5/4 of
an inchdiameter, and 11 feet [drawing]
long each; the quicker pinked
in.
Frames. To
form a frame in each of
the right flanks (?), about
4 feet square out to out, exculsive of the knaves (?)
which are to project about
5 inches, the frame will be about 14 inches
wide, including the friezes;
To run a plain moulding of 3 members
To form the outer part of
each frame, 4 inches high or wide, and 3 inches
projection. To run
a plain moulding of 2 members to form the inner
part of each frame, 2 inches
wide, and 1/4 inch projection.
To fix a cast plaister
frieze, 8 inches wide
between the two mouldings all
round each frame, the frieze
must be modelled to a drawing,
comprised of Florrons (?), and other
Raffled foliage; In the
(?) parte of the frieze of each frame, an
ornament must be fixed of
cast plaister, modelled to a drawing
simalar to the frieze; the
frieze to be pinked in between
the ornaments.
Plainth. To
run a double torus plinth,
all round the dome as is depicted
in the design, this will girt
including the square part,
24 inches, and is 8 feet long.
Cornice of Saloon
To lath and plaister two
coats float and set
fair; a cove, 44 inches girth,
95 feet long, springing (?) 30 inches below the arc,
and terminating at the arc.--------------
To fix
To fix a cast plaister
ovolo, at the foot
of the cove, inriched with (?),
bands, and darth (?), it will be about
105 feet long, 9 inches
girth; the incrichment must be modelled to
a drawing.
To run a plain cornice
above the cove
of four members, 30 inches girth,
80 feet long; to finish the cap of the
cornice with lath and plaister.
To fix a cast plaister
inrichment in
the inverted O.G. of cornice,
comprised of water leaves and tongue
8 feet long, 14 inches girth,
to be modelled after a drawing.
To fix a cast plaister
double margin
guilloch (?) with star flowers,
is all the circular intervtices; this
ornament will be 10 inchs
wide, 8 feet long, to be fixed on
the cove, directly under
the drop of the corona. To be modelled
to a drawing.
All the inrichments
in the cornice
of Saloon to be pinked in.
Saloon, from the
springing of the cove, down
to cap of the entablature of
Tall columns ub a line with the soffet
of the great arches, and
with the angular line of the branch arches,
including the east and wets
sides of the east anbd west arches.
to ceilings of vestibules,
General Court. To last and plaister, float
and set fair, all
the work as is recited in
the proceeding head; about 176 yards.
To lath and plaister
2 coats float and set fait
the 4 Branch arches.
To work by hand
4 inriched trufus (?), for
the branch arches to spring
from, they will each be comprised of two cods (?)
inrichrd with raffled leaves,
and Boushed (?) verowles (?)on the profile,
A swagf of 4 diminishing
husks, below each trufe in the
Angles; It may be at the
election of the plaisterer yo fix this
work in cast plaister, if
he relieves it by piercing and under
butting the cast work.----------
To work 12 ovolo
raised pannels in each
of the soffets of the great
arches.
To run a plain architrave
round each side
of the east and west arches,
also on one side of the north and south
arches, about 432 feet.
To work in plain
key blocks as is depicted
in the design, and fix thereon
6 cast plaister double floorons of
Raffled husks (?).
From the soffet
of great arches in north
and south walls, to the floor
of the saloon.
To lath and plaister
float and set fast as before
the north and south walls, including
Breaks and deducting apertures
about 160 yards.
Capitals of Tallest
Columns
To fix 4 whole and
8 dome cast plaister
capitals, each of the whole
capital to be comprised of the crown
moulding, to the shape,
which will be plain; The Bell to fix
the ornamentsto, which will
be lath and plaister; four cast
plaister Raffled leaves,
about 10 inches long & 8 inches wide turned up,
pierced, and under cut,
fixed in the center of the abacus in the Bell directly
under the Volutes; Eight
olive leaves about 8 inches long, of
cast plaister, under cut
and turned up, fixed on, one between
every two of the Raffled
leaves, resting on the crown moulding
of the shaft; A cast plaister
(?) inriched, fixed in
2 parts on the Bell; four
cast plaister Volutes springing
from the schinus (?), the
volutes about 7 inches diameter on
their spiral face, in each
spiral face, a scroll of 6 revolutions
in all releives, with a
raffled ornament, on the scroll and
abacus and fitted with the
Volutes; A cast plaister pomegranate & leaves, or
a rose (?) fixed in the
center of every face of each abacus.
Entablature to Tallest
Columns
To run a medallion and dentil
cornices, as
depicted in the design; Two
member in the archivtrave, The whole
Frieze, and two members
in the cornice inriched: Cast plaister
Patara (?) is in Ciffers,
and flowers, under the pataras in the facia between
the medallions; The medallion
to be fluted in soffet, flowers in facia,
scrolls in profile, and
inriched caps: About 275 feet (?) plain
cornice, 80 incjmedallions,
pataras, and flowers; about 85 feet
(?) of (?) cast plaister
Frieze modelled to a drawing.
Frontispieces
To select of the present
capitals, and
refix them, on the columns of
the Frontispieces, four 3/4 Capitals;
To run from 3/4 Bases (?),
crown moudlings, and cornice; inriched in
all respects as the the
old cornice and order.
Windows
To run a plain architrave
and fill
with key block and soffet to
each window; the key blocks ornamented
with a cast plaister
head, modelled to a drawing; about twelve
inches by 14 inches.
Entrances to well
Hole
To run a plain architrave
with Blocks,
Key Blocks and soffets, each
of the Key Blocks ornamented with a
cast plaister urn modelled
to a drawing; The jamble (?) and soffets
panneled ovolo raised.
To form 3 pannels,
ovolo raised, on each
side of the entrances, as is
depicted in the design.
All the work shall be done
in a masterly manner, to the full satisfaction of His
Excellency the Governor
and the Honorable Council, agreeable with the
Design and there particulars,
and under the Direction of ALn Joseph Clark
the Supervisor or any other
Supervisor that may be approved by the Governor and the Council, and exactly
with such drawings and
directions as he shall reduce
consistant, and agreeable with the design
and there particulars; the
contractors copying all drawing and particu-
lars for his own use
for the consideration of
Six Hundred and Ninety
pounds, current money, to
be paid by
the State of Maryland, on
such weekly dates as the
Supervisor shall judge due
in propostion to the execution of the whole work;
And His Excellency the Governor
and the Honorable Council also shall
advance at any time to the
person contracting-------such
sums of money part of the
aforsaid Six Hundred and Ninety pounds
as the Supervisor may deem
necessary for the purchase of materials to
execute the said work
Should there be
any alterations, either by additions
or subtractions from the work
as is herein recited, they shall
have no effect in any manner
to alter this agreement. But shall be
paid for in porportion in
additions, or deducted from, as subtractions from the
aforsaid agreed for sum
of Six Hundred and Ninety pounds. *[see below]
I. Thomas Dance
[signed] Plaintif
hereby acknowledge myself Bound
unto the State of Maryland in the
full sum of Five Hundred
Pounds to fulfill and comply with this contract.
And in testimony thereof
I have hereunto set my hands and affixed my
seal this 24th
day of July Seventeen hundred and ninety two
Sealed and delivered
in the presence of
[signed] Thomas James
[signed]
In council June
1792
It is agreed that the State
of Maryland is held bound unto
Plaisterer in Five
Hundred Pounds to
fulfill and comply with this
contract.
Done in Council on behalf
of the State of Maryland
this 24 day of July 1792.
By order of the Council
[signed?] John Shaw
* such number of hands as may
be thought necessary for carrying on and executing
the said work as Mr. Joseph
Clark the Supervisor or any other Supervisor
appointed by the Governor
and the Council shall deem necessary and
expedient shall from time
to time be employed and kept at work.
That if the prtson contracting
shall at any time refuse or neglect
to comply with the true
content and meaning of the aforsaid articles, or any
part thereof that from thereforward
the Governor and the Council
shall be at liberty to discharge
him from their employ.